I'm baffled by the amount of people that think this was less interesting or impressive than Canc's solo two years ago, who timed his attack when Boonen was in the back of the grupetto getting supplies from the car. In a year that Cancellara was out of this world (the best Cancellara ever, past, present AND future), in a year where Boonen was still suffering from both mental and physical ailments.
This year Boonen didn't even HAVE to attack, he would have mopped them up in the sprint too. Boonen isn't a TT specialist, but he is better at riding on cobbles than anyone else (including Cancellara). And that is where he can make the difference, and did. The fact that Sky didn't gain on Boonen was for two reasons; Boonen being too strong, Tersptra doing a good job. Even when Ballan, Flecha, Boom... where in full persuit without Terpstra blocking the chase, they still lost time. The only guy that managed to fake the impression being able to do something was Boom... for about 5 minutes til he blew himself up. Flecha couldn't drop the others, let alone come closer to Boonen.
All the BS talk about if Cancellara where here, Boonen wouldn't have won. What a joke. Because the past 3 times Boonen won, Cancellara wasn't there either? No Cancellara would have dropped Boonen in this years PR. Suggesting otherwise is no short of offensive.
And Boonen didn't have to attack? He rode Pozzato and everyone else out of his wheel, allowed him, Ballan, Terpstra... to return, and decided not to wait when the others pussied out.
Seriously... wtf